I Never Promised…

August 30, 2009

Did you notice how directly after saying I’d come back to the blog, I kind of vanished down to London? Ha ha.

I’m at Spinks’ house overnight though, reading through Vampire: the Requiem (it was the Masquerade in my day!), and thinking I need my own copy. But that also I should update as to what I’m playing and where, before I get back to commenting a little on MMOs.

I’m playing LotRO exclusively now. I tried WAR again for the 10 days, and didn’t do much more than play Nordenwatch and Gates of Ekrund. Both very enjoyable. There’s a lot of fun around the game, but without my old guild and the people I wanted to say hi to, I found it tricky to stay for a long period.

Plus, our LotRO kin has finally started on DN (the new end raid). We did pretty good, I think. Got the first bosses down in few runs, and they cleared them again on friday (though I was in London!). They’re doing exploring tonight, and I fully expect another one or two bosses to drop. And next week I’ll be back with them again.

I kind of like new raids. I like learning the encounters, and try to go to them as clear of spoilers as I can. Often I might try and find out if I need anything specific to watch out for as a Captain, but I do try and stay fairly clear of direct discussion of fights. I like to see a boss drop for the first time. But I can make do with it being MY first time. I don’t much like loot and loot distribution, it stalls the raid a little – but I appreciate it’s there and has to be done, and I don’t mind the system we’ve gone for in-kin, so it could be worse. I like the familiar chit-chat, hanging out with more than a group of kinmates. But I’ve also been in a very dark place recently and found the first return-to-raiding night a bit shouty for me. I think it’s because I wasn’t joining in, or felt unable to.

Which is something I’ve noticed about myself. I used to be one of the loud ones in TS, and would be shoutier than anyone during raids. I feel something is holding me back, and it’s probably myself. I’ve gone a bit reflective and insular to deal with my mourning. And I have a liability to snap that previously I had under far better control. So I try and stay quiet to avoid it. Even though I hope people understand. Yesterday I snapped at two people I didn’t 100% mean to. And one I did!

Anyway, digression over. We’re raiding DN in LotRO, as well as the Turtle (or Filikul). We may even return to the Watcher when we can be bothered and have the right people together. And in the meantime I want to get back into grouping with kinmates and helping them through content.

I am considering the refer-a-friend WoW trial Spinks sent my way. But then I remember I’d have to buy the game AGAIN, and I have cold feet. I’d like to return to the familiarity of the game in a way, but I don’t want to buy it. I could just resub on an old account, but then I lose the 3x xp. And I’ll probably get bored by level 20!